When two signal lines are placed near each other, they tend to couple to one another either magnetically, capacitively, and/or inductively. The result, referred to as “crosstalk” or “cross-coupling,” is that variations in one signal affect amplitudes of nearby signals.
Crosstalk tends to degrade system performance by introducing variable and unpredictable components to signals. Existing techniques to reduce coupling between conductors include adding ground conductors between signal conductors or positioning the signal conductors farther away from one another. However, the addition of ground conductors between signal conductors increases the number of conductors, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of the system. Further, if the conductors are traces on a printed circuit board, the addition of ground conductors between signal conductors increases the printed circuit board area required to route all of the conductors. Positioning the signal conductors farther away from one another increases the size of the printed circuit board, connector, integrated circuit package, or other device that handles the conductors.
The interconnection technique described below takes a different approach by attempting to mitigate the effects of crosstalk rather than attempting to eliminate coupling between signal lines.